2014-11-09
A huge amount of work has been done this year by the Global Issues Working Group, International Development Committee, Global Greens and Asia Pacific Greens Federation.
By Bob Hale
Global Issues Working Group (GIG)
We recognised the need for better communication with party members so we helped develop web pages on the AG web site for GIG and AG-IDC, and created a Facebook page.
We ran a successful forum on Marine Bio-diversity and also proposed a resolution calling on the Australian Government to boycott the next CHOGM meeting which was in Sri Lanka.
We have done some preparatory work around improving the processes for Country Specific Resolutions, how the existing ones can be changed, which of them need updating, etc.
We have been working with several groups in the region on local projects, such as the Philippines and funding Ego Lemos from Timor Leste to attend an Australian Timor-Leste Friendship Network conference in July.
We have also been working with the Asia Pacific Greens Federation (APGF) on the process for them becoming a proper legal entity.
Australian Greens — International Development Committee (AG-IDC)
In January, the Abbott Government announced that the Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program would be cancelled. It is very good news that this funding has been restored which was a total surprise to everyone. Who would have thought that something good would come from this government?
Our budget is $200,000 a year for three years and there are many worthwhile activities we can consider supporting, with priorities of supporting the next APGF Congress, a Secretary for the APGF, and other projects such as training, party building, and many more that will benefit APGF Members.
Global Greens
The European Greens had elections in May this year — they generally held their position and also had MPs elected in several countries for the first time.
We congratulate the Canadian Greens, who won the first Green Seat in the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia.
The First Global Fundraiser (Australia, NZ, USA, and Canada) may not have been a financial success, however, it was great to be involved in a cross-border project and it did demonstrate that people are interested in participating in activities on a global scale. We definitely need a project to fundraise for, and may run another in the lead up to the next Global Greens Congress in 2016/17.
The Global Greens are running a Climate Change campaign in the lead up to COP in Paris 2015. GIG is helping to gather information on climate change activities from Greens in the region that can be shared, assist groups to share, learn, and raise awareness across the region.
Read the Global Greens Newsletters.
Asia Pacific Greens Federation (APGF)
The APGF is being set up as a formal legal entity based in Australia, and we have spent quite a bit of time helping them to review the new constitution and bylaws.
With funding for the Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program being restored, APGF has been working hard on proposals to employ a new secretary and organising a congress for 2015.